In Atlanta’s Night Race, the energy is more electric, the racing feels more intense, and NASCAR’s stars shine under the lights.

With that comes incredible highlights - and as we get ready for the Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart on Sunday night, July 12, we’ve compiled our favorite night racing memories. Here are our Top 5 Most Memorable Moments from Atlanta's Night Race!

#5: Hamlin and Gordon's overtime duel in 2012

Martin Truex Jr. was in total control of the 2012 running of Atlanta’s Night Race until Jamie McMurray’s blown tire brought out a caution with five laps to go.

Everyone came to pit road to get fresh tires for the two-lap overtime finish, and a clutch stop by Denny Hamlin’s team vaulted him from 3rd to 1st, wrestling control of the race from Truex.

On the overtime restart, Truex struggled to get the power down on the outside line. As he faded from contention, Jeff Gordon slipped by and pursued Hamlin for the win. Hamlin's No. 11 wrapped the bottom line while Gordon tried to make up ground in the middle lane.

On the final lap, Gordon took a run to Hamlin's outside entering the final corners, but couldn't find the grip he needed to stay there. Hamlin held off Gordon's last-lap surge to earn his 21st career NASCAR Cup Series victory and first at EchoPark Speedway.

#4: The Big One in 2025

EchoPark Speedway is known for its full-throttle, door-to-door action, but with that close racing comes the opportunity for a small mistake to cause a big pileup.

That’s exactly what happened at the start of Stage 2 of the 2025 Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart, as the pack raced down the backstraightaway. Lined up in two-by-two formation from the restart, the majority of the pack was pushing aggressively to get up to speed; as the field approached Turn 3, a push gone wrong sent Denny Hamlin's No. 11 spinning across the track and into Noah Gragson's No. 4.

That hit knocked Hamlin back up the racetrack and into the path of the rest of the field. With just half a lap elapsed since the race restarted, the pack was still bunched together with very little room to maneuver. As a result, when Hamlin's car came back up the track, numerous drivers found themselves with no way to avoid the carnage.

The pack crashed and careened into Turn 3, blocking the racing surface and much of the apron as more cars piled in. When they finally came to a stop and the smoke cleared, 22 cars were revealed to be involved in The Big One. The melee set a record for the most cars ever involved in a single incident at EchoPark Speedway.

#3: A legendary tribute in 2023

After a nine-year hiatus, Atlanta’s Night Race returned in 2023 and kicked off with a tribute to two titans of NASCAR: Kevin Harvick, in the midst of his final season of full-time competition, and legendary team owner Richard Childress, piloting the No. 29 that Harvick drove to his first career win just weeks after the tragic loss of Dale Earnhardt in 2001.

Before the green flag, the pair led the field side-by-side during the opening pace laps. As the tribute rolled by the grandstands, Harvick and Childress were greeted by cheers and three-fingered salutes to Earnhardt.

On Harvick's No. 4 team radio, someone remarked that it was, “Pretty damn cool." Harvick replied, "Yeah, that’s pretty awesome.”

Once the green flag dropped, the Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart brought the energy and atmosphere that only night racing can deliver. With action all night long, the race showcased the thrilling racing the revamped EchoPark Speedway is now known for - but ultimately the pre-race tribute to racing legends shined brightest that night.

#2: Kahne's clutch comeback in 2014

Kasey Kahne entered the 2014 running of Atlanta’s Night Race in the midst of a disappointing season, but with their backs against the wall, the No. 5 team held the lead in the waning laps at EchoPark Speedway.

However, as Kahne crossed the stripe at two laps to go, Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. tangled and brought out a race-changing caution.

With an overtime restart attempt looming, the field hit pit lane. Varied strategy, combined with a slow stop by Kahne’s crew, dropped the No. 5 from the lead to 5^th. With this latest development, it appeared bad luck would once again spoil Kahne's race.

"Wow, wow, wow. Bad time to have a bad stop," remarked Allen Bestwick, the lead commentator for the night's television broadcast of the event.

"That's a tough break for Kasey Kahne," added Andy Petree. "You can't help but feel bad for him. He can't seem to catch a break this year."

Kahne was down, but not out. Fortune swung back in his favor on the first overtime restart attempt.

With the outside line struggling to launch, Kahne was able to climb to 3rd before Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano, and Paul Menard got tangled up and brought out another caution.

With a second overtime restart coming, Kahne would now restart right on leader Matt Kenseth’s bumper. He had four fresh tires to Kenseth’s two, and since the outside line had struggled to keep pace on restarts all night, it was apparent that Kahne would be the driver most likely to challenge Kenseth for the victory. Legendary NASCAR driver turned broadcaster Rusty Wallace called what would happen next for everyone watching at home.

"I personally think Kasey Kahne is getting ready to have the restart of his life," said Wallace.

As the green flag flew for the second overtime, right on cue Kahne nailed the restart, shooting the gap between Kenseth and Denny Hamlin to make a three-wide move for the lead entering Turn 1. While Hamlin faded from the battle, Kenseth and Kahne continued to race door-to-door down the backstretch with Kenseth putting his nose back out front as the pair powered into Turn 3. 

Here Kahne's tire advantage presented itself: as Kenseth tried to accelerate off the corner, he lost grip and his car jumped sideways as Kahne continued to gain speed on his outside. Desperate to stay alongside and continue the battle down the frontstretch, Kenseth hammered the throttle again - this time nearly losing control as his tires slipped. 

The slide allowed Kahne to clear Kenseth as he took the white flag, and it was smooth sailing for the final 1.54 miles to the checkered flag.

"He does finally catch a break," Petree said. Fellow broadcaster and former NASCAR champion Dale Jarrett quipped, "I don't know if he caught a break, but he sure drove the wheels off of that 5 car."

Kahne’s clutch performance to wrestle victory from the jaws of defeat was his 17th career win, 3rd at EchoPark Speedway, and secured his place in the 2014 NASCAR Cup Series postseason.

#1: Elliott's last-lap pass in 2025

It was a frantic run to the checkered flag in the 2025 Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart at EchoPark Speedway, with seven lead changes in 12 laps before Brad Keselowski took over the top spot coming to five laps to go.

As Keselowski furiously defended all comers, Chase Elliott surged forward to challenge for the win.

Three laps to go. Elliott crosses the stripe in 5th place, but dives to the inside of his teammate Alex Bowman and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. to make a three-wide challenge for 3rd.

Wrapping the yellow line, Elliott's No. 9 clears that pair and reaches the left-rear quarter panel of Tyler Reddick's No. 45 as the pack thunders onto the backstraightaway. Elliott side-drafts Reddick into Turn 3, but is forced to pause his challenge and fall in line off Turn 4.

Two laps to go. Elliott receives a big push from Stenhouse down the frontstretch. At the same time, Reddick has a run on Keselowski, but chooses to push the No. 6 instead of challenging for the top spot. Elliott does not follow suit: entering Turn 1, the No. 9 again charges to the inside of the No. 45 seeking the runner-up spot.

This time Elliott has enough momentum to dispatch Reddick and turn his attention to Keselowski. As Elliott searches for a way to get alongside the No. 6 in Turns 3 and 4, Bowman takes 3rd and delivers a big shove to his teammate coming to the white flag.

Final lap. Keselowski leads, but with Elliott and Bowman running nose-to-tail the pair is accelerating and quickly closing the gap. In a matter of moments the lead narrows from two car-lenths to just one, and then none, with the nose of Elliott's Chevrolet right on the tail of Keselowski's Ford.

Entering Turn 1, Elliott dives to the inside; Keselowski tries to block his advance but he can't get there in time. Elliott's momentum carries his No. 9 past Keselowski and into the lead coming off Turn 2.

On the backstraightaway, Keselowski tries to generate a run of his own to challenge back but Bowman instead moves alongside the No. 6, leaving Elliott to cruise through the final set of corners as the pair behind him battled for 2nd.

Checkered flag. Elliott scores his 20th career win and second at his home track to the delight of the home crowd. A chorus of cheers rises above the roaring engines as the field takes the checkered flag. The noise carries through Elliott's celebratory burnout on the frontstretch and his post-race interview at the start-finish line.

"How about that? Are you kidding me," Elliott said as the crowd continued to roar. "I've never in my life - I've never in my life, this is unbelievable."

Be here for the next incredible moment | July night race tickets available now

Elliott's last-lap pass to win last year is our Most Memorable Atlanta’s Night Race Moment... so far! The Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart is coming up on Sunday night, July 12^th. Get your tickets now and be here for the next thrilling installment of night racing action at EchoPark Speedway!